Are insect declines a concern — and is Jiminy’s part of the problem?

What’s happening with insects — and why does it matter?

The magnitude of the decline

Multiple studies now show insect populations are in steep decline. According to a VICE article, the moment of reckoning has arrived:

“Bee diversity has fallen by roughly 25 percent since the mid-90s.… Butterfly numbers in the United States are down over 20 percent. A German monitoring project found a 76 percent decline in flying insects in some forests.” 

This is alarming because insects aren’t just “bugs we don’t notice” — they play fundamental ecosystem roles: pollination, nutrient cycling, soil health, pest control. A drop in their numbers sends ripples through food webs and agricultural systems. WebProNews

For example:

• Three-quarters of the world’s crops depend in some way on insect pollination.
• Habitat loss, climate change (making plants bloom earlier or later), and pesticide use are key drivers of the decline.

When insects decline: things like fewer pollinators = less fruit, vegetables, nuts, and even dairy/animal products that rely on insect-pollinated crops (e.g., alfalfa). Nutrient recycling slows. Pest-predator balances shift. It’s a cascade.

What are the main causes?

Here’s a summary of what researchers point to:

• Habitat loss and fragmentation: Urban sprawl, large monoculture farms, manicured lawns (which often support little insect life) all reduce safe breeding, foraging, and overwintering habitats. 
• Pesticides and chemical use: For instance, neonicotinoids and glyphosate weaken bees, disrupt life cycles, or outright kill non-target insects.
• Climate change and shifting phenology: Plants bloom earlier or later; insects may hatch when no food plant is ready, or may not survive more frequent extreme weather.
• Light pollution, invasive species, agricultural intensification, and other less-visible drivers.
  
  

Why this matters for our food system (and yes, for pets too)

When insect populations decline, we lose more than “just bugs.” Consider:

• We rely on them for pollinating many human food crops (berries, apples, coffee, chocolate — yes, chocolate!).
• They help control pest insects, meaning fewer chemical interventions.
• They contribute to soil health and nutrient cycling — insects break down organic matter, create soil structure, feed birds, etc.
• For pet food: our pets’ diets are linked to the broader agricultural system. If crops fail, ingredient costs rise; if feed production becomes less sustainable, our entire supply chain gets stressed.

In short: insect decline is a real environmental risk, and one worth paying attention to — especially for a brand like Jiminy’s that emphasizes sustainability.

How Jiminy’s fits in — or rather, doesn’t

Now to the key question: does Jiminy’s contribute to the insect decline? The short answer: no — and here’s the longer version.

Indoor farming, controlled environments

At Jiminy’s we use insects raised in indoor farms (not wild-harvested). That matters. Because wild insect populations are the ones facing habitat loss, pesticide exposure, fragmentation and climate stress. Our insect farming happens in a controlled environment — designed for health, biosecurity, traceability, and reduced ecological impact.

Sustainable breeding practices

Here are some of the practices we follow (and you can look for in any “insect protein” supply chain):

• Breeding protocols that ensure healthy, disease-free lines (so we’re not pulling from wild populations).
• Use of dedicated feed substrates (often co-products or by-products) rather than drawing from wild insect biomass.
• Biosecurity measures to prevent escape of farmed insects or introduction of wild pests.
• Indoor climate control, temperature and light regimes tailored for optimal health.
• Harvesting schedules that are efficient (short-cycle species) so less land/time is required compared to traditional livestock.
  
  

So what’s the overall impact?

The key take-aways:

• Because our insects don’t rely on wild habitat, our harvesting doesn’t reduce wild insect populations.
• Indoor farming means minimal land conversion, less dependency on wild forage or wild insect communities.
• By using insect protein (instead of more resource-intensive conventional proteins), we aim to reduce overall ecological burden.
• Therefore: we are part of the solution — or at least trying to be — rather than part of the insect-decline problem.
  
  

But let’s be transparent: The “insect protein” industry is not risk-free

As with all emerging food systems, there are caveats. Recent research highlights that insect farming could carry ecological risks if not properly managed:

• Biosecurity: escaped insects could disrupt native ecosystems. 
• Some life-cycle/resource-use metrics are less favourable when farms scale poorly. 
• Feed inputs: if insect farms rely heavily on conventional grains (rather than by-products), they might compete for land or feed that could be used otherwise. 

At Jiminy’s we monitor all of these — we source from partners with strong sustainability credentials, with rigorous controls, and we invest in continuous improvement (for example, closed-loop systems, waste-substrate reuse, minimized energy footprint).

The bigger picture: Insect protein & sustainability

Put Jiminy’s in context: Insect-based protein (for human food, animal feed, pet food) has been getting increasing attention. Here are some broad trends and what they mean.

Why insect farming is being explored

• It uses less land, less water, and often fewer greenhouse-gas emissions than large mammals. For example, one article estimated insect farming uses 50-90% less land than conventional livestock. 
• Some farms can use organic waste or co-products as feed for insects, creating a circular-economy angle (though note: in practice this is still limited) 
• Anaerobic, short-cycle life histories (especially with species like black soldier fly larvae) make scale-up potentially faster. 
  
  

But what about the research-based caveats?

• A review in 2025 found that “insect farming’s impact on the food system’s sustainability is far less positive than initially promised,” particularly when scaled up, due to things like energy use and feed-input competition. 
• Another study flagged risks of escapes, disease transmission, and low substitution of conventional proteins (i.e., insects replacing chicken vs replacing a low-impact plant protein). 
  
  

What it means for Jiminy’s and you

• Jiminy’s adoption of insect protein is consistent with the “better” side of the ledger: using a lower-impact alternative protein, sourcing from indoor farms, aiming to reduce resource intensity.
• However — because the industry is still maturing — we remain vigilant: sourcing transparency, lifecycle data, third-party certifications, and ongoing innovation are all required.
• For you as a dog-parent: choosing a pet feed with insect protein isn't a “silver bullet,” but it’s a meaningful step toward aligning your pet-care choices with environmental impact reduction.
  
  

What you can do (and what we’re doing)

At home

• Plant pollinator-friendly flora in your yard: native flowering plants, no-mow or reduced-mow zones, avoid blanket pesticide use. These small actions help insect life locally.
• Ask about ingredient sourcing: where is the insect protein coming from? Is the supplier certified? What are their biosecurity practices?
• Balance your pet’s diet with environmental context: while insect protein is a strong option, always ensure the diet meets complete nutrition (vitamins, minerals, dog-specific needs) — something we at Jiminy’s pay close attention to.
• Advocate for insect-friendly policy in agriculture: supporting reduced pesticide use, habitat corridors, hedgerows, and soil-health initiatives adds to the broader systemic solution.
  
  

At Jiminy’s

• We’re committed to direct sourcing from indoor insect farms meeting high welfare and sustainability standards.
• We maintain transparent supply-chain traceability: we can show the entire flight path from farm to Dog Food Bag.
• We engage in lifecycle-data collection: measuring carbon footprint, water & land use, energy inputs, and comparing insect-based protein vs conventional sources.
• We collaborate with ecosystem-health researchers and pursue certifications (or work with partners who do) to validate our practices.
  
  
  
  

FAQ

Q1: If insect populations in the wild are declining, why would farming insects be okay?

A1: Good question. The decline refers largely to wild, unmanaged populations that rely on natural habitats, food resources, and ecological cycles. Our farmed insects are raised in controlled indoor facilities — they don’t deplete wild populations or habitats. Because they are not drawn from wild harvest, they don’t directly reduce the number of wild insects. This means our production path is separate from the wild-insect decline problem.

Q2: Could insect farming actually make insect declines worse (e.g., via escapes or pests)?

A2: The short answer: theoretically yes, if not properly managed. Research points out that escapees from insect farms could compete with wild species or transmit disease.  But in practice, responsible farms implement strict biosecurity, containment, monitoring, and bred lines that don’t pose risk to local ecosystems. At Jiminy’s we only work with farms that adhere to those standards.

Q3: How does insect-protein feed compare environmentally to conventional feed (e.g., chicken, beef, soy)?

A3: On many metrics, insect protein offers advantages: lower land use, lower water use, faster growth cycles, and potentially lower GHG emissions. For example, the Earth.org article suggests insect farms may use 50-90% less land than conventional livestock. Earth.Org+1 That said: at full scale, depending on feed inputs, energy use, and logistics, insect farming may not always be dramatically better than some optimized conventional systems. The key is how the farm is set up and how the feed chain is managed.

Q4: Is Jiminy’s using wild-caught insects?

A4: No. At Jiminy’s, we use insects reared in indoor farms under controlled conditions. We do not harvest insects from the wild. This avoids putting pressure on wild populations, prevents disruption of local ecosystems, and ensures traceability and quality control.

Q5: Does insect farming reduce the need for wild pollinators or wild insect populations? Might it disincentivize protecting them?

A5: That’s a nuanced question. Farming insects does not replace the need for wild insects — especially pollinators and ecosystem-insects — because farmed insects are typically not fulfilling those wild-ecosystem roles (e.g., pollen by wild bees). So no — insect farming doesn’t reduce the incentive to protect wild insect habitats. In fact: we should strengthen our collective commitment to protecting wild insects while simultaneously farming alternative protein sources responsibly. The two efforts are complementary, not contradictory.

Q6: Should I be worried that feeding my dog insect-based food is somehow “taking away” from wild insect biodiversity?

A6: Not if the insects are farmed, indoor, and not drawn from wild populations — which is what Jiminy’s does. The declines in wild insect populations arise from habitat loss, climate change, pesticides — not from the measured scale of indoor insect farming for pet food. The key is supply-chain transparency and farm practices — which your pet food brand should be able to articulate.

Q7: What else can Jiminy’s do (and what can I do) to support insect biodiversity?

A7: At Jiminy’s: continue sourcing from best-in-class insect farms, set and publish sustainability metrics (land-use, water usage, GHG emissions), partner with insect-biodiversity researchers, support wild-pollinator habitat restoration projects, and communicate openly to consumers. For you: plant native pollinator-friendly plants; reduce pesticide use in your yard; support local or national legislation that protects insect habitats; choose pet-food brands with transparent sustainability commitments.

Final thoughts

Insect decline is real. It’s serious. Ecosystems depend on insects — not just as a crunchy annoyance on your windshield-and-yes that used to happen more often — but as architects of biodiversity, pollinators of food, recyclers of nutrients, and linkages in food chains. That matters deeply for our planet and for our pet-food choices.

When I say that Jiminy’s is not part of the insect-decline problem, I mean it: our insects are farmed indoors, they don’t draw on wild populations, and our practices aim to reduce ecological footprint. Feeding your dog Jiminy’s is not “taking from the wild.” Rather, in our view, it’s a mindful, forward-looking option that aligns with a vision of how pet-food can evolve in the 21st century — responsible, sustainable, transparent.

Does that mean insect protein alone solves everything? No. We need broader ecosystem action: habitat restoration, pesticide reduction, climate mitigation, better agricultural practices. But as a pet parent, choosing insect-based protein (from a brand you trust) is a step in a positive direction.

At Jiminy’s we’re committed to being a part of the solution — not the problem. And we hope this blog helps you feel informed, confident, and proud of the choice you’re making for your pup and for the planet.

Thank you for being part of the journey.